Spotlight on Jess Shen

BY CARA SCHAEFER

If something is holding you back from planning your next adventure, Jess Shen just might be the inspiration you need. We spoke with her about solo travel, getting into hiking, and making your body home. 

Photos courtesy of Jess Shen.

OUT THERE: So you just got back from an amazing road trip. What was one of the most memorable experiences you had along the way?

JESS SHEN: I hiked my first 13,000 foot peak in Great Basin Park, and the view from the top was just stunning! It was a lot of time to just enjoy nature and spend quality time with myself.

OT: Was there anything that didn't go as expected?

JS: There was a tornado warning in South Dakota, so I took shelter at Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center. I had expected tornadoes, but I didn't expect to get that in South Dakota versus like Tornado Alley. I was in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska — it was fine. I get into South Dakota and the clouds and the weather just changed immediately. It was actually pretty terrifying, but I’m safe and that's all that matters. 

OT: When it comes to solo travel, what do you most appreciate? And what do you find to be a challenge?

JS: I do love that it's a very selfish thing. I don't have to plan around other people or worry about them canceling on me. It's something that is very liberating, because I get to plan the trip for me, and not have to cater to other people's needs and desires. 

The challenging part is that, if something happens, the only person I can rely on is myself. I have to do all the driving for the road trip. I have to make sure that I’ve packed everything, that I’m safe, and that I look after myself. It’s the double-edged sword kind of thing: I get the most freedom, but then I also have the most responsibility.

OT: So going back a bit, how did you start hiking? 

JS: I did do many hikes over the years, just very sporadically, like I hiked Mount Sinai in Egypt in 2017. But it's one of those things where I was so uncomfortable with my body that I didn't think I could hike. Even though everybody in any shape or form can hike. What I just always thought was, “Oh, I'm a bigger bodied person. I go too slow. I don't belong on the trail. The outdoors isn’t for me. I hate hiking”. 

Last year, due to the pandemic, I had a lot of time to reflect on myself and my relationship with my body. It became — not that I want to push body positivity, because I think it's very difficult to be in love with your body every single day — more of an acceptance thing. I accept my bigger body, and I know that it's strong. It does what I want it to do. After that, I started to do little short trails. Then I would do longer ones, and it just incrementally increased since the start of the lockdown. It was something that gave me time to not be stressed out due to the pandemic. 

OT: I saw you posted at one point that your body is your “home”, which I thought was a really beautiful sentiment. So how does hiking make you feel more at home in your body? And does that feeling transfer to other areas of your life as well? 

JS: Hiking gives me a sense that regardless of how my body appears, that it can take me to see some incredible views and that it's a step forward. Even if I don't finish the trail, like if I turn around due to unsafe conditions, every single time is a step towards spending more quality time with just me and my body, and nature. It’s all interconnected. 

It does translate to other things because I don't spend as much time beating myself up over what my body looks like. It’s more like, “Wow, my legs took me up that mountain” or, “Wow, my calves led me to this hike”. It’s a very personal experience that leads me to appreciate how my body is.

OT: What tips do you have for someone who is looking to start hiking or just get outside more?

JS: Preparation is always key. You want to bring more than you think you’ll need. You want to bring water and sunscreen. I always try to bring a hat just for some shade. I will look up the trail in advance, have a map.

It doesn't have to be something hard. It can even just be a walk around your neighborhood or a walk on urban trails. There are urban trails near where I live that I really enjoy. It's just about being outside. 

Let people know where you will be. I solo hike, but my parents know the trails I plan to take. They know the trailhead. They know what time I'm roughly going to start, and what time to be worried if they don't hear from me.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

You can find Jess on Instagram.